Sweden summons Russian envoy for NATO threat explanations

PanARMENIAN.Net - Sweden has summoned Russia's ambassador to explain comments from Moscow warning of "consequences" if Sweden joins NATO, BBC News reports.

"It is not acceptable to make threats," said the Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallstrom.

Sweden is not currently part of the security bloc, but is a close ally and polls have shown gradual growth in support among Swedes for membership.

Like other countries in the Baltic region, Sweden has been alarmed by increased Russian military activity.

In October last year, Sweden launched its biggest military mobilisation since the Cold War when a foreign submarine was spotted near Stockholm. Moscow denied that one of its vessels had got into trouble.

Wallstrom was responding to comments by the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova.

"Swedish membership in NATO would have politico-military and foreign policy consequences, and would require retaliatory measures from Russia," Zakharova said at a briefing in Moscow.

"We are an independent country which makes independent decisions on our security policy," replied Wallstrom.

The ambassador - Viktor Tatarintsev - was due to attend the meeting sometime on Friday, September 11 afternoon.